I am whoever I say I am.

The name is Mindy -- or Min-D as some friends like to say, or even MSkut (hybrid of my first and last name) -- and I'm a newspaper reporter just outside Charlotte, NC. I started this blog in April 2008 as a means of expanding my horizons and moving away from the "woe is me, here's what is happening in my life" blogging. Instead, I tried out the "hey, look how witty I can be" and the "this is what I have to say about 'insert topic here'" kind, and so far, it's worked pretty well. But there's much ground still to cover!

Yours truly...!!

Delve into the past.

Delve into the past.

Grace in Small Things: 38/365

Feb. 1, 2010
1. Didn't get to go to D.C. (stupid snow!), but had a FABULOUS weekend anyway.
2. Played in the snow - with my dog - for the first time in at least 10 years.
3. Went shopping yesterday!
4. Unburied my car from the inches of snow and ice this morning.
5. Leftover Olive Garden tonight. Yummmmm.

Feel free to Email me.

It snowed. And if I were back in Scranton, this would not be blog fodder by any means.

But I’m not. I’m in good ole’ North Carolina* where the white fluffy stuff is rather a big deal, which is why this topic has forged its way into my “Damn Yankee does the dirty South” series (which thus far only includes one post from September, but I’m expecting more in the future).

The snow started late afternoon/early evening yesterday and people in this region were already panicked. As I, a native Pennsylvanian, and my boyfriend, a native New Yorker, happily drank our Miller Lites and downed some 39-cent wings, our waitress struck up a conversation about whether or not we thought people might come out to eat in this weather. Clearly the hordes of people typically converging on this restaurant were noticeably absent that Sunday, all fearing the wrath of God in the form of tiny ice crystals falling from the sky.

By the time I arrived home – 7 p.m.-ish – the roads in my neighborhood had already turned to slush as my wuss of a dog refused to get her pretty little self wet in an effort to relieve herself in the great outdoors (which inevitably meant me cleaning up her not-so-accidental “accident” off the hardwood floors later that evening).

Fast-forward to 3 a.m. when I finally decide sleeping on the couch is unwise – I do this all too often – and head to bed. One quick glance out my front door showed a street, cars, trees and everything else sparkling under a blanket of white. It was rather beautiful … ’til a snow plow made its way down the road. Alas, the schools had all closed hours beforehand and I knew my job would still beckon hours later.

This morning, I was greeted by the snowy, yet icy terrain, a result from the freezing rain that also fell overnight. My dog again refused to do her business amid the wet weather, so I’m expecting a lovely “surprise” when I arrive home later.

Regardless, my town of Mooresville has practically shut down due to the “inclement” weather. Banks are closed, school kids are spending their Monday sledding and making snowmen instead of learning, restaurants are refusing to open their doors and the streets of MoTown are nearly barren. It’s rather ridiculous.

And for how much snow? FOUR INCHES. Seriously, more than four inches could not have fallen across this region – or at least this town – and yet people are avoiding their vehicles and a typical Monday for snow that will barely reach their ankles, for snow that is rapidly melting under a very bright sun.

As someone who routinely woke up to inches upon inches of snow on the ground and was lucky to see even a 1.5 hour delay from school, it simply amazes me how this tiny bit of winter weather could alarm so many individuals. The schools closed last night only an hour or two into the storm with no knowledge of what would occur overnight. I think the Scranton School District might’ve closed once in my years as a student the night before classes were to occur, and that was a miracle in itself.

Things like this simply don’t happen in the north, so I still find it shocking that people in the south react as they do.

Yes, I understand that here in North Carolina, they don’t have the adequate equipment or manpower to handle a snow storm of any caliber. But the widespread panic? It’s just a few flakes, people!

I’m fairly certain that this complete fear of snow is something I’ll never grasp nor become accustomed to. Regularly walking to school in several inches of snow – my jean bottoms frozen by the time I arrived, as well as any bits of hair that escaped the blow dryer earlier that morning – and living within a practically white city from December through March was the norm. Not knowing if the Mooresville McDonald’s will still be serving today as a result of four friggin’ inches? A little bonkers, if you ask me.

*All of these photos were taken by yours truly in Mooresville today. The first is just outside my newspaper’s office. The second are some trees outside our building with a large snow-covered parking lot in the background. And the third is along Main Street in Mooresville (only a block away from our office), with Soiree (an amazing restaurant) in the forefront.

NOTE: My “Grace in Small Things” will regularly appear in the left column if you’re interested rather than in separate daily blog posts. Or you can visit my GiST Blog for updates.

Be glad that this wasn’t a full blown ice storm or else you would have seen the loveliness that is a Wal-Mart frenzy. Visiting NJ and NY in the winter kind of killed my terror of snow like how living in Florida killed pretty much any anxiety I had about hurricanes.

I can’t imagine an ice storm being much fun. Up north, we get a lot of snow and some ice, but never ice storms. I’m not a fan of ice AT ALL!

NC?! Hell, all of London was shut down about a month ago! That was amazing just watching people try to negotiate the snow in their cars. Oh, and girls walking around in their heels because they don’t own a pair of boots. Unreal…I too, will never understand it. Pretty pictures though!

With all the rain there, I figured at least people would be intelligent enough to have some sort of apparel for those situations. I suppose not!

I live in Monroe, NC (about an hour and a half from Mooresville) and I have lived here all my life, but still find it hilarious that us Carolinians go crazy when it snows. I’m all for a snow day from classes or work, but when people have to rush out to buy a whole ass load of bread & milk like we are going to be trapped for days, it’s effin ridiculous!

My mom told me about “snow days” in NC when she was growing up (Fayetteville for about 10 years of her childhood) and I never believed her, until I moved here.